4 Benefits of Gamification
Definition: gam·i·fi·ca·tion ;ˌ(ɡāmifəˈkāSHən/)
noun
the application of typical elements of game playing (e.g., point scoring, competition with others, rules of play) to other areas of activity, typically as an online marketing technique to encourage engagement with a product or service.
"gamification is exciting because it promises to make the hard stuff in life fun"
Organizations and training companies are buying into the hype of gamification. Many of them, however, are unsure of how to implement it properly and wonder if their efforts will pay off with a high ROI. The $1,000,000 question is, “How can gamification improve eLearning?” We have seen engagement levels rise with eLearning programs that have a point system versus those that don’t. Let’s see why gamification education could be a winning training solution at your organization.
Increases Learner Engagement
Increasing attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and the passion that learners show when they are being taught will directly increase the level of motivation they have to learn! It is a scientific fact that if something is fun, you’re most likely to repeat it. That is how our brains work. Gamification is exciting because it makes learning fun, which causes our brains to release the chemical dopamine. The dopamine then signals the brain to link the action which caused the dopamine levels to increase. In our case, that would be learning and we’re willing to repeat the action of learning in the future because we enjoyed it. According to a workforce survey, “At Fortune 500 firms, 73.6% of technology-delivered training comes through networked, online methods.” Why not increase the effectiveness and utilize gamification to increase learner engagement?
Enhances Productivity
All organizations need to make a healthy profit to keep the doors open. Increasing the productivity of employees will allow the organization to make more of its product without increasing costs. When the company produces more that inertly increases the opportunity to make more sales, which results in raised profits. According to Global Industry Analysts, “Almost 80% of the learners say that they would be more productive if their university/organization was more game-like.” That is an overwhelming amount of the workforce that would work harder and be more productive if their company would be more game-like. Employees love games! Why not use that to our benefit?
Boosts Motivation
According to Forbes, “The most sought after employees have a tendency to seek out challenges, to extend and exercise their capabilities, to explore and to learn.” There are four factors that we have seen in common with the upmost motivated employees – feeling intelligent, feeling successful, feeling socially valued, and a sense of structure. Those factors come into play when gamification in training is executed properly. For example, learners who complete levels or earn badges feel intelligent, successful and enjoy a strong sense of accomplishment for completing their assigned task. They also feel socially valued when they achieve a certain “social status” through the participation in their training. Also, the structure in gamification helps to motivate the learner because they can see they are making progress. When you motivate your employees properly and the right work gets done in the right way; your organization runs efficiently. Your organization becomes defined by its continuous productivity advancements, wide spread innovation, and its ability to adapt to the changing business environment. Who would not want to boost the motivation of their employees?
Increases Learner Retention Rate
In every job, employees need to retain knowledge. Based on what we have seen gamification has a positive impact on learner retention rates. The whole goal of training is to make certain that the learner retains the knowledge and is able to use what they have learned. When a work environment is fun but also includes challenges, this leads to higher productivity, higher retention, and paves the way for career advancement.
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